Metal-working.



N. E. CLARK. METAL WORKING. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 11, 1913. 1,146,552= Patented July 13, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

Fi 5- Fig. 6.

I- 1 unllu- N. E. CLARK METAL WORKING.

v APPLICATIQN FILED FEB. 11, m3. l,16,552, Patented July 13, 1915. EETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES a! ATTb/M/Ey near caries.

NOB/BIS ELMORE CLARK, OF PLAINVILLE, CONNECTICUT.

METAL-WORKING.

Application filed February-11, 1913.

My invention relates particularly to the manufacture of what, is commonly termed expanded metal.

The object is to provide a simple and inexpensive mechanism for expanding slitted sheets at high rate of speed in a uniform without injuring the stock.

In its preferred form, the invention contemplates mechanism for a ting upon a pro viously slitted sheet of metal which is corrugated longitudinally and opening out certain of the corrugations as the sheet is moved through the machine. 7

Figure 1, is a longitudinal view showing the ends of a series of rolls foracting upon the material according to my invention..

Fig. 2, shows the arrangement of gearing on one side of the machine diagrannnatically. Fig. 3, shows the arrangement of gearing on the other side of the'niachine diagrammatically. Fig. 4, is a View at the receiving end of the machine,' parts being broken away. Fig. 5, is a similar view showing parts of one of the last pairs of rolls for spreading the stock. Fig. this a similar View of a corresponding pair of rolls of slightly different form. Fig. 7, is a. fragment: ry view showing one arrangementiof slitting. lfig. 8, is an end view of a sheet with longitudinal corrugations in the unslitted portions. Fig. i), is an end view oi a, sheet corrugated longitudinally so as to 'form mesh work. Fig. 10, an end view of part oi? the same spread out into a relatively flattened sheet. Fig. 11, is an end view of a sheet in which the unslit'ted portions are longitudinally corrugated as in Fig. 8, and the slitted portions are opened into mesh work by a longitudinally corru gating action. Fig. 12, is an end View (on a somewhat larger scale) of part of the same shown spread out into a relatively flat sheet. Fig. 13, is a fragmentary view of one form of fabric expanding according to my invention. Fig. 14, is a. diagrammatic plan view indicating the method of expansion according to my invention and showing the relative shape of the cross sec- Specification of Letters Patent.

.tions depending provide between them diagrannnaticallv Patented Judy 31.3, 1%??15. Serial No 747,643.

tion of a sheet at the different progress through the machine. diagrammaticside view tive flattening of a sheet.

The sheet is preferably first slitted as shown in Fig. 7 so that it consists of unslitted strips bv slitted portions such as 2, 2. The slitted portions are expansihle and the slitting is stages of its Fig. 15,1s a showing the relain any suitable arrangement but preferably as shown. laclrslitted section may have two parts such as 3, 3 united midway hetwecn the strips 1, 1, for instance along the strip -l-. The sheet may be corrugated lon gitudinally along the unslitted strips as shown at l, 1 and 4:, *1 Fig. 5: if desired either in preliminary treatment or by rolls such as 5 and 6 in Fig. 1. These rolls engage the strips 1, l and feed the slitted sheet into'the machine.

The slitted portions are subjected to a 1011 gitudinal corrugating action in a n'evious treatment as shown by my Patent #1052588 or in my application #741,376 filed January 11, 1913, or by n'ieans of rolls such as the rolls 7 and 8 so that the end view would. appear as in Figs. 1 or 1]., the arti( :ular secupon whetherornot the unslitted strips are corrugated. The rolls 7 and 8 will feed the stock into the machine even if the rolls such as 5 and 6 are not used.

Rolls 7 and S are made up of shafts such as 9 and 10 supported by suitable housing such as 11 and having a series of disks such as 12, 12 and 13, 13 which interuiesh and a passage correspond ing to the shape o1 the cross section oi? the stock at this point as shown for instance by the zig-zag line 1-1 in l ig. 11. The zig-zag line 15 represents diagramniatically the cross section of a passage between the rolls 1(3. and 17. The zigzag line 18 represents the cross section of the passage between the rolls 19 and 20 and the intermediate zig-zag lines in Fig. ll represent the cross sections of the passages between the other successive rolls. The lines R, K represent the ribs or longitudinal unslitted strips such as 1, l of Fig. 7. The dotted lines such as'Ql and 22 represent the positions of the si .ccssive rolls. The full, line 23 represents the relatively fiat sheet of expanded metal at the point as it passes through between the rolls 2- and 25. The rolls 26 and 27, 28 and 29 serve to iron out or ribs such as 1, 1 connected' and smooth the stock by relieving internal stresses in the metal and distributing the strain uniformly so as to produce perfectly flat product, that is a product without buckles or irregularities. These rolls also serve to feed the product oiit of the machine.

It will be noted that according to the arrangement and relative 'n'oportions of the rolls and their spreading disks, the corruated stock at the beginning of the spreadmg actions is operated on rather abruptly but this does not injure the stock as it is'at. this point very flexible laterally. As the stock is widened out however, it becomes laterally less flexible and for this i'eason the longitudinal unslitted strips or ribs are brought out into their proper relative position more gradually so that the curve which they take is substantially tangential to their final position in the finished sheet. It will also be noted that while the longitudinal strips or ribs lt travel in a substantially horizontal plane through the machine, the intermediate portions, strips or ribs. as the case may be, as indicated at 30 gradually rise as they more outward so as to subject the stock to as little stress as possible. Directing guides such as 31 may be employed between the successive pairs of rolls. shape of the cross section of the successive rolls also depends upon the results which it is desired to produce and it should be understood that many modifications in details of construction and arrangement of parts maybe made without departing *lroin the spirit or scope of my inventioiu The rolls 1!) and 20' oi- Fig. l) are ribbed and grooved respectively to treat a fabric having grooved iinslitted longitudinal strips such as is shown in Figs. .11 and 12. 1f the longitudinal strips are grooved by rolls such as and 6 at the entrance to the machine, the other rolls will be ribbed and grooved as indicated in Fig. b, to allow for the longitudinal corrugations or the longitudinal strips may be lorgitudinally corrugated by means of the rolls sucli'as shown in Fig.6.

All of the lower rolls ol the machine and some of the upper rolls are power driven as indicated by the dotted gear pitch lines in Figs. 2 and 3 and thus exert a tiactive or feeding force on the stock throughout the entire machine.

What I claim is 2- 1. In an expanded metal, machine, means 1 for feeding instoclc composed of oppositely inclined ineshwork sections with marginal and intermediate longitudinal iinslittcd strips, a series of diverging trains of spreading devices, each train of spreading devices consisting of upper and lower members with a pass at the entrance end having oppositely inclined halves :l'or nieshwork sections, the ad jtlCUIliw'lHllVCS of adjacent passes being slightly spaced apart for the unslitted strips The and oppositely inclined at the entrance end, all of the passes gradually changing in cross sectional shape and becoming flatter from the entrance tov'ard the exit and means for feeding out the product.

2. In an expanded metal machine, a pair of feeding-in rolls, inter-meshing disks mounted adjacent thereto and having a of Zig-zag outline for ineshivork sections, delivery rolls at the opposite end of the inachine and diverging trains ol devices located between the intcrnieshing disks and said delivcry rolls for gradually spreading the nieshwork sections;

In an expanded iuctal machine, a pinrality of trains of dishs diverging from the entrance toward the exit for receiving a sheet of stock composed of oppositely iiiclined nicshwork sections and spreading the said sections into a common plane and directing guides between successive disks of the outer trains of disks.

4. ,In an expanded metal machine, a pair of entrance 'l'ccding rolls having a pass suitable for receiving a deeply corrugated expanded nicshwork having longitudinal tension members, a plurality ol trains oi devices diverging from said entrance rolls for progressively separating the said longitudinal. members and spreading all the incshwork into a common plane. V l

5. I'll an expanded metal machine, a series of rows ol means arranged on diverging lines for engaging longitudinal iinslitted strips of a corrugated sheet and gradually bending the reticulated sections between the longitudinal strips into a common plane and aplurality of rolls li'or-ii'oning out the prod- .uct and setting the reticulated sections in a.

definite plane. i 6. in an expanded metal machine, a pair of rolls having a plurality ofipairs of intermeshing disks for receiving a corrugated reticulated fabric. a pair of rolls for setting the reticulated sections in a common plane and aplurality of rows of means.arranged between said l't'lftflvl ng and setting rollsfor gradually spreading the sheet andbringing the reticulatedsections into a common plane. 7. In an expanded metal machine, a pair of rolls having intcrineshing disks for receiving acorrugated reticulated fabric, a pair of rollsfor setting the reticulated sections. in a common plane, and a series of pairs ol rolls with inter-meshing disks arranged between the receiving and setting rolls, the contours of said disks being formed so as to gradually spread the sheet and bring the reticulated sections into a com- -mon plane.

ing the reticulated sections between the iongitudinal strips into the same plane with said strips and means for feeding out the product.

9. In an expanded metal machine, a series means arranged on' diverging lines for engaging longitudinal strips of. a corrugated reticulated sheet, means for corrugating the strips, a series of means for gradually bending the reticulated sections between the longitudinal strips into the same plane with the bases of said strips and a plurality of rolls for ironing out the product and setting the reticulated sections in a definite plane.

10. In an expanded metal machine, a pair of rolls having intermeshing disks for re ceiving a corrugated reticulated fabric having longitudinal strips, a pair of rolls'for delivering the product, means arranged between said receiving and delivery rolls for gradually spreading the sheet and bringing the reticulated sections into a common plane and means for corrugating the strips of the i the tops of the lower rolls being allon a common plane.

12. In an expanded metal machlne, a pair of shafts at one end with internieshing disks providing a pass of zig-zag cross section for receiving a. corrugated expanded sheet, a pair of rolls at the opposite end for setting all of the meshwork in the. same general plane and rolls located between said receiving disks and said setting rolls for gradually spreading the stock.

13. In an expanded metal machine, a plurality of trains of spreading disks with two sets of diverging guiding surfaces for engaging unslitted strips of a corrugated mesh- Work, the guiding surfaces of alternate sets being in separated parallel planes at the entrance end of the machine and all the guiding surfaces at both sets being in substantially-the, saine plane at the exit end for progressively spreading the meshwork strips into a common plane. I

14. In an expanded metal machine, a plucorrugated meshwork having longitudinal unslitted strips arranged alternately allel planes and connected by inclined meshworksections and a pluralityoi' trains of rolls for bringing all the meshwork sections into a common plane.

Nonsrs mamas CLARK;

Witnesses:

E. E. DaNrsLs, EDWARD Cr AsPINWALL;

rality of pairs of disks arranged to receivqa vv so in par-I j 

